Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 Highlights: Sharad Pawar warns opponents, urges voters to defeat Ajit faction

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat stated the importance of unity in India, a value been practiced by saints for over 1,000 years. He blamed the Congress party for indulging in divisive politics. In an interview given to PTI, Shekhawat mentioned that this strategy is a historical ‘’sin’’ and continues to damage the social fabric of the nation.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi while addressing an election rally in Amravati, Maharashtra on Saturday stated that the Constitution is the ‘’DNA of India’’, indicating the values and principles of the nation. However, he blamed the BJP and RSS for treating the Constitution as a ‘’blank book’’.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday accused several Muslim organisations of attempting to “vitiate the poll atmosphere” in Maharashtra and Jharkhand by appealing for votes based on religion. The party urged the Election Commission and the Supreme Court to take strict action against such practices.

BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia alleged that Maulana Sajjad Nomani, a functionary of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, had publicly announced support for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra.

Read More: BJP accuses Muslim organisations of ‘vote jihad’, urges EC, SC to take action

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra criticised the BJP and PM Modi during a rally in Shirdi, accusing them of disrespecting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and neglecting his legacy.

She also challenged the BJP to commit to a caste census and questioned their commitment to values like equality and truthfulness. Gandhi accused the government of targeting Rahul Gandhi out of fear and failing to address key justice and reservation issues.

Congress leader Raj Babbar on Saturday asserted that the people of Maharashtra are resilient and will not be swayed by slogans like “vote jihad” and “batenge toh katenge” (divided we will perish).

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s slogan ‘ek hain toh safe hain’ (united we are safe), Babbar suggested that even the PM recognises the futility of divisive politics in Maharashtra.

“People of Maharashtra have always been one. They cannot be provoked and instigated by slogans like ‘vote jihad’ and ‘batenge toh katenge’ (divided we will perish).When a citizen of the country arrives in Mumbai in search of livelihood, nobody asks him about his caste and religion,” Babbar said.

Maharashtra Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, calling him “anti-poor” over his remarks on the multi-crore Dharavi slum redevelopment project.

Speaking at an election rally in Amravati ahead of the November 20 assembly polls, Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, accused the BJP of handing over Dharavi land worth crores to industrialist Gautam Adani. He further alleged that the Maha Vikas Aghadi government was toppled through monetary deals tied to the Dharavi project.

Responding to Gandhi’s claims, Fadnavis accused the Congress of neglecting Dharavi’s redevelopment, suggesting they deliberately kept the poor in poverty.

“Rahul Gandhi is anti-poor. He doesn’t want the people of Dharavi to get homes. Rajiv Gandhi had made an announcement for Dharavi, and these people were in power for 25 years after that, but no work was done,” the deputy chief minister said.

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday accused Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his BJP colleagues of attempting to inject religious overtones into the upcoming assembly elections by raising the issue of “vote jihad.”

Speaking to reporters in Pune, the 83-year-old leader left it to the public to respond to Deputy CM and NCP chief Ajit Pawar’s remarks suggesting that he would be next in line for leadership after the senior Pawar.

Pawar’s comments came in response to Fadnavis’s statement on Friday, which referred to a purported call by an Islamic scholar for “vote jihad” against the BJP-led Mahayuti government. Fadnavis had urged voters to join in a “dharma-yudh of votes” to counter this.

When asked about Fadnavis’s appeal to voters, Pawar clarified that it was the BJP leader who had introduced the term “vote jihad.” He highlighted that in certain constituencies during the Lok Sabha elections, minorities had supported the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), but this was not a case of “vote jihad.”

“By raking up ‘vote jihad’, Fadnavis and his colleagues are trying to give a religious colour to this election. We are completely against it,” he said.

In response to Uddhav Thackeray’s criticism, Nilesh Rane defends the Rane family’s political legacy, arguing that Uddhav only rose to power due to his father, Bal Thackeray. He dismisses claims of dynasty politics, emphasizing that his family has worked hard for their political standing despite losses in past elections.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, addressing a public gathering in Amravati, accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP members of “murdering the Constitution behind closed doors.”

Gandhi questioned the integrity of a meeting allegedly attended by industrialist Adani and BJP leaders, including Amit Shah, where decisions were made to buy MLAs.

“PM Modi and members of BJP murder the Constitution from behind closed doors. I want to ask you that when in a meeting attended by Adani, and Amit Shah in which the decision was made to buy MLAs, were they protecting the Constitution? Today, every person in Maharashtra knows the reason for looting that government. It was looted by BJP so that the land of Dharavi worth Rs 1 lakh can be given to Adani,” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said.

At a rally in Amravati, Maharashtra, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of opposing caste reservation. “Was BJP protecting the Constitution when it stole the Maharashtra government by purchasing MLAs?” Gandhi said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray attacked BJP‘s Narayan Rane and his sons, accusing them of promoting dynasty politics in Sindhudurg, where his sons Nilesh and Nitesh are contesting assembly polls. Thackeray raised concerns over BJP’s double standards on dynasty politics, highlighting the situation in Konkan.

A case has been filed against a police constable who allegedly posted a photograph of his postal ballot paper on social media after casting his vote in the Maharashtra assembly elections, an official said on Saturday.

Constable Ganesh Shinde had used a postal ballot to vote for the Ashti assembly constituency in Beed district, according to Balasaheb Wakchaure, the returning officer for the Malabar Hill seat in south Mumbai.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday urged BJP workers to concentrate their efforts on winning polling booths. Speaking virtually to BJP workers as part of the “Mera Booth Sabse Mazboot” programme, he highlighted the importance of booth-level engagement.

He asked workers to organise meetings for women, youth, and farmers, and encouraged them to circulate videos highlighting the BJP-led government’s initiatives.

“I also try to ensure that the ground reality reaches me through the workers. The vision of our government is that we together develop so much that everyone gets an opportunity to progress,” he said.